


Goodbye Earl

by ClownTownBee



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Domestic Violence, F/F, Murder, Reddie, Song fic, dixie chicks song, i can’t believe I forgot to tag murder sorry guys, reddie but they’re lesbians, spousal abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23519992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClownTownBee/pseuds/ClownTownBee
Summary: Roxanne and Eleanor were the best of friendsAll through their high school daysBoth members of the 4H club, both active in the FFAAfter graduationRoxanne went out lookin' for a bright new worldEleanor looked all around this town and all she found was Earl
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Kudos: 20





	Goodbye Earl

**Author's Note:**

> It’s Reddie but they’re lesbians - shoutout to a bunch of people on Clown Town twitter helping me find names
> 
> Shoutout to @/downtoclowntown on Twitter for the idea
> 
> This is based on Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks
> 
> There’s domestic abuse!! I know I tagged it but I want to say it again!!! It’s not super graphic but it is there and it’s a big part of the story.

Roxanne and Eleanor spent every single day together in high school - from giggling while smoking during their off hours to holding hands as they ran through the halls so they wouldn’t be late to 3rd period. They were each in 4 after school organizations by their senior year; Roxie in Swim and Drama Club, Ellie in Speech and Debate and Chess Club, both of them in the 4H Club and the FFA. No matter what she’d say out loud, Elli couldn’t imagine her life without Roxie.

Their senior year was full of club meetings, tests, and goodbyes. Graduation came and went with no tears from Roxie or Eleanor because they knew they would be spending the summer together and they knew that, even after that, they wouldn’t be saying goodbye.

Summer was filled with more hand holding, sitting too close, and a collection of almosts - almost confessions, almost kisses, almost everything each of them wanted. The girls rode bikes and saw movies and nothing changed because they were sure they wouldn’t be saying goodbye. Until Roxie landed an audition in LA.

When Roxie wasn’t with Ellie, she was writing possible stand-up sets and submitting self-tapes. She was auditioning for anything she could find online; comedies, dramas, period pieces, anything that was looking for a girl age 16-24. She didn’t want to get her hopes up so she didn’t tell anyone, not even Ellie. Sure, sometimes she would run some jokes by Ellie and Ellie would laugh and that’s all Roxie needed. So when Roxie got the call that the producers in a comedy film wanted her to come out to LA she wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted it, almost as much as she wanted Ellie, and it was within reach.

One day, late in July, Roxie and Ellie went to the park and it was just like any other day. It was hot and humid and almost every in their small town had opted for the pool instead of the park, leaving a few kids on the playground and the elderly couple that did their walk through the park every day. After Roxie scared off the kids, the girls got on the swings and as they sat, swinging just slightly, they spent their time in silence. They could spend quiet time together, it was comfortable and they didn’t have to talk to know the other one was there. But this time it was different and they could both feel it.

“What’s up, Roxie?”

“What do you mean smelly Ellie? We’re just sitting on the swings.”

Ellie cringed at the nickname and hopped off of her swing, moving swiftly to tip Roxie off of hers.

“What was that about?” Roxie laughed from the ground as she pushed herself to sit up.

“You know I hate that nickname and I know somethings up, so spill,” Ellie offered Roxie a hand to help her up.

“I don’t want you to be mad because I haven’t told you but I’ve been submitting self-tape auditions to a lot of different projects. Like to anything I could find really. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think anything would come of it and I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I got an audition.”

“Roxie! That’s amazing!!” Ellie pulled her into a hug but Roxie was still tense, shoulders up to her ears and tears in her eyes. “What is it Rox?”

“The audition is in LA. They want me to fly out and audition and then the project films there so if the audition goes well I wouldn’t come back...”

“Oh,” Ellie tried to hide her tears as she sighed. “Roxie that’s amazing. You have to do it. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve wanted to perform. There’s no way I’m letting you stay here instead of following your dreams.”

“But El, we were supposed to find a place together and get crappy retail jobs until we could get our feet under us and figure out what we wanted to do and -“

“Roxie stop. Yeah that was the plan, but plans change. I am not going to be the person who holds you back. You’ll resent me for it and I couldn’t stand it. I love you too much to let you stay here and you love me too much to let me be the thing in your way.”

“But-“

“No buts. Am I right, or not?”

“You’re right,” Roxie didn’t want to admit it but she knew Ellie was right. She didn’t think she could ever grow to resent her like she said, but it wasn’t fair to Ellie if Roxie stayed.

“So when’s the audition?”

“In two weeks. So I have to pack and get a ticket soon...” Roxie couldn’t look at Ellie. The thought of only two more weeks with her was too much and if she looked into those big doe eyes she would lose it.

“That means we have two weeks to spend time together and to teach you how to look after yourself,” Ellie blinked back tears, trying to lift the mood that settled over them.

“Hey,” Roxie laughed and pushed Ellie playfully, “I can microwave a frozen meal just fine.”

Ellie rolled her eyes at that and got back on her swing, soon going as high as her legs would take her. Roxie joined her too and, at one point, they were swinging side by side. The thought of what they said in elementary school about getting married if you were right next to each other while swinging crossed both of their minds, but each of them shook it off and just continued to laugh with their best friend.

Over the next two weeks Ellie taught Roxie how to cook rice, eggs, and pasta and how to bake bread and cookies. Ellie even gave Roxie her grandma’s secret recipe for the world’s best chocolate chip cookies, after swearing her to secrecy of course. Roxie showed Ellie her self-tapes and her notebooks full of stand-up material. And the day before Roxie left, Ellie made a checklist, and helped her pack, and then double checked to make sure Roxie wasn’t forgetting anything - which ended up being a good thing because Roxie almost forgot to pack any socks.

The day of Roxie’s flight came and Ellie drove her to the airport and dropped her off. At the drop off Ellie got out of the car and helped Roxie with her luggage before giving Roxie the biggest hug she’d ever given probably anyone ever.

“Don’t forget me when you get famous in LA,” Ellie laughed with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Hey! No tears,” Roxie complained as she started to cry too. “I could never forget you El. I’ll be sure to fly you out for my first big premier and you can be my date.”

“You better go so you can get through security and not be late for your flight.” And with that Roxie turned to walk to the door but before she got too far Ellie yelled after her, “I love you, Rox,” too which Roxie responded, “Love you more smelly.” Ellie laughed and wondered if Roxie really knew what she meant, she hoped she did.

They texted when Roxie landed, and when she got to her new apartment, and when she got unpacked, and for almost every small accomplishment there was a conversation. 

They went on like this until a few days after the audition, which went well. It was a small film, but both of them were excited and Ellie couldn’t stop congratulating Roxie. Ellie was so proud, but she missed her best friend too.

Even though they were still talking almost every day, Ellie got lonely. She went to the park and the movies, just like she did with Roxie, but it was so different. And things only got worse when Roxie stopped texting as much. Ellie knew she was busy and not ignoring her but it still stung and so she tried to fill her time with anything else. She got set up on some dates, went out every night for a while, just trying to find someone to be with and something to do.

A few months after Roxie left, Ellie ran into Earl at her favorite coffee shop. All of the tables were full and Ellie was reading a book at a table for two. She didn’t think much when someone asked if he could take the seat across from her so she just nodded and continued with her book.

“Ellie, aren’t you going to look up at me?” And at hearing her own name, she looked up and saw Earl. The same Earl she had math withfreshman year, even though he was a senior. The same Earl who she heard was a bully, but was only ever kind to her. The same Earl who might be a good friend, especially to someone as lonely as Ellie.

“Earl! I didn’t realize it was you. I was caught up in my book, sorry,” she laughed nervously.

“No worries. If you weren’t with Roxie, your nose was almost always in a book. Usually a science book if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah. And you say that like it was so long ago. Just a couple years.. What have you been up to?”

“Nothing really. Working at the hardware store. Don’t know what I want to major in yet so I figured there’s no point in me going to college yet. What about you?”

“About the same. I work as the receptionist at the insurance company on 3rd.”

“That sounds like something you’d be good at,” Earl pauses. “Not to be too forward, but would you want to go on a date sometime?” Earl looked so sure and he smiled and he put his hand over hers on the table and something in all of that makes Ellie say yes.

Ellie starts spending most of her time with Earl, if they weren’t working, they were together. And even when Ellie was at work, Earl would drop in to bring lunch or just to check in. He treated her nicely and was protective and complimented her and Ellie was comfortable.

Over the following months, Roxie would call or text with her updates and Ellie told her about Earl and that they were happy together. Roxie tried to sound happy on the phone, and she was, she didn’t want Ellie to be alone. But it seemed like Ellie wasn’t doing much aside from Earl and that didn’t seem right to Roxie. Ellie was strong and stubborn and always did what she wanted to spending all of her time working or looking after a man just didn’t sound quite right to Roxie. But Roxie knew she was the one who left and that Ellie knew how to take care of herself, so she didn’t say anything.

Seven months after Roxie left, filming wrapped and she started more auditions. Eight months after Roxie left, Ellie moved in with Earl. Nine months after Roxie left, Roxie landed another job doing stand-up, a 45 minute set twice a week and kept doing auditions. Ten months after Roxie left, Ellie and Earl quietly eloped. Roxie kept Ellie looped in on the big things, even though they didn’t talk but once a week anymore. Ellie only mentioned her details in passing, trying to downplay her own wedding in the process. Roxie congratulated her, but then Ellie never brought it up again.

Ellie thought she loved Earl. He made her smile and made sure they had food on the table, even though she was the one who had to cook it. It was easy to laugh at his barefoot in the kitchen jokes and they lived comfortably. It wasn’t where she thought she would be, but it was normal for their small town and so Ellie settles and called her life happy.

And Earl and Ellie were happy for the first few days. Married life was not much different than the way they were before. Ellie was already moved in and so it just felt like more of the same. Things only changed when Ellie was on the phone with Roxie too long and didn’t cook dinner. With no food on the table when Earl got home, he was angry. Ellie apologized and offered to run out to get dinner but the offer wasn’t halfway out of her mouth when earl slapped her.

Ellie cried and cooked dinner quickly and over the food Earl apologized but chastised her for not being ready, especially because she knew better, all in the same breath. But it was the first time that he ever did something like that so she told him it was okay and wouldn’t happen again and she settled and called that night normal.

Over the next few weeks, things only escalated. After the first hit, Earl was more willing to use any means necessary to keep Ellie in place. A slap to the face for late dinner, a tug on the hair for not laughing at a joke, a punch in the gut for wanting to go out on the weekends. Ellie didn’t say anything and spent her time outside of work and catering to her husband learning how to cover her bruises with makeup, long sleeve shirts, and sunglasses. In her small town it seemed that people might know but Ellie knew that, just like her, they settled for this life and this is just the way things had to be. It wasn’t until he broke her nose because she didn’t want kids, that Ellie decided to leave.

Roxie had gotten busy again, too busy for any of Ellie’s drama, so she didn’t mention any of it. Just small updates when requested. Ellie quietly filed for divorce and a restraining order. Her nose healed and she was at work and she moved into an apartment and things got better. Each loud bang or man standing too close made her jump, but Ellie decided that things were better.

Roxie got better at balancing a day job, auditions, and stand-up gigs and so she was talked to Ellie more. Ellie told her she got divorced, that things just didn’t work. Ellie sounded better, and so Roxie was happy. She was doing her own sets with material she wrote and she had time to talk to her best friend and her best friend sounded happy. Roxie promised that when her current gig ended, in just a few weeks, she would come visit. She didn’t bother telling Ellie that she was going on a comedy tour as an opening act and that that was the gig, that’s not what mattered. And so, if only for that phone call where that promise was made, the girls were happy.

Ellie continued to settle in to her apartment, make it feel more like home. She kept going to work and started going out on weekends again. She couldn’t bring herself to go to her favorite coffee shop, there was too much of Earl there, but she found a new coffee shop with chocolate croissants to die for. With a latte and a chocolate croissant and the hope that Roxie’s promise provided, Ellie was happy and she felt safe as she walked into her apartment on a warm Saturday morning.

But, before she could even but her drink down, she was slammed against the wall. The hit made her dizzy and blurred her vision but she knew it was Earl. After what seemed like hours, and what was maybe 8 minutes in actuality, the beating finally stopped and Earl left. Ellie doesn’t remember, but she must have been screaming because a neighbor ran in and held her and called 911 as she sobbed and eventually lost consciousness.

Ellie woke up in the ICU screaming. Once the nurses that rushed in were able to calm her down, they explained the extent of her injuries. Her right arm was rebroken, same exact place from when her, Roxie, and a group of their friends decided to explore an abandoned house and she fell through the floor. She also had a split lip, some fractured ribs, and a concussion. Ellie told them what happened, told the police when they came too, but she knew that they couldn’t do much. Or at least that they wouldn’t do much.

Ellie didn’t realize that her emergency contact was still Roxie. Roxie didn’t know either, until she got the call. After barely expressing everything she needed to through the tour manager, through sobs and broken breaths, Roxie booked a red-eye from the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport home. She took the flight and went straight to the hospital. Ellie woke up to Roxie asleep in the chair next to her hospital bed, holding onto her hand.

Hours later, when Roxie woke up and Ellie was awake and needing more pain meds, the girls cried. Ellie apologized for not telling Roxie and for bringing her there, away from her job. Roxie apologized for not being there and reminded Ellie that they were best friends and that that was more important than a stupid opening act gig, which then led to Roxie explaining that she was on tour.

Ellie faded in and out over the next few days. She always woke up in pain, but she always woke up to Roxie, so it was worth being awake. When Ellie was awake, the girls caught up and it was like nothing had changed; they were still the same best friends who stole vodka from their parents’ liquor cabinets and graduated at the top of their class. When Ellie was asleep, Roxie visited her family in town and took showers and spent most of her time thinking about how to protect Ellie. When Ellie was awake she was just as energetic and strong as always, despite the bruises and casts; but, when she was asleep she looked small and vulnerable and just like the scared kid who fell through the floor of that old house. 

After a week in the hospital, Ellie was finally well enough to go home. Roxie went to her apartment with her and stayed there, offering to take the couch. They spent their time together and it was mostly the same, but Roxie was so angry.

“I could just kill him, you know? For what he did to you. I mean. Who does he think he is?”

“Why don’t we?” Ellie responded, hearing something like this from Roxie for the fourth time of the day, she decided to respond. “Kill him I mean,” she laughed lightly, not sure if she was kidding or not.

“Els, I’m not kidding,” Roxie stopped her pacing to look at Ellie. “I hate him and he hurt you and he’ll probably do it again, or just hurt some other girl. And the cops and everyone else in this town are useless and won’t do shit.”

“What if I’m not kidding either?” Ellie gulped. Sure, she hated him and lived constantly scared of him, but could they actually kill someone?

“Ellie I would never force you do to something like that but I don’t think I can sit here and do nothing.” Roxie resumed pacing nervously. She didn’t stop until Ellie stood up and grabbed her hands.

“Roxie. I’m with you on this,” she waited for Roxie to actually look and her before continuing. “You think I haven’t thought about it? You think that I don’t want to end the person who made me like this? This isn’t who I’m supposed to be, Rox.”

“I know El,” Roxie squeezed her hands and smiled. “I don’t know how but...”

“Yeah. Earl has to die.”

It was quiet after that. Both of the girls standing, holding hands. Neither could read the other but they’d made the decision and they weren’t backing down. After the initial shock of the conversation wore off they started planning. Each step of the way, they were constantly checking in with each other. It wasn’t a hard decision to make, despite what they had to do.

The girls decided to invite Earl over for lunch to “apologize”. To anyone normal, it would seem off, Ellie wanting to apologize for not wanting to get beaten. But to Earl, this would be the perfect bait. It would look like Ellie coming back to him, just like he wanted.

The girls decided on rat poison. As much as they laughed about the idea at first, especially because they got it from watching 9 to 5 one too many times as kids, it was their best bet. They didn’t have to look up other methods and it didn’t look suspicious to buy.

So, after they had everything in place, Ellie called Earl. She apologized and claimed she wanted him back and she asked him to come over and Roxie held her hand the whole time. Earl agreed to come over that night. Eleven months since Roxie left and she was back and helping Ellie kill her abusive ex-husband.

Ellie and Roxie spent two hours cooking, setting the table, going over what to do and say. Ellie wore Earl’s favorite dress on her, she knew that after this she would throw it out anyway and that was enough to get her to shrug it on. At 11:28, Earl knocked on the door. Roxie went to the bedroom, out of sight and out of mind, while Ellie repeated the lines they had repeated. She apologized and even let him kiss her, willing herself not to flinch. He sat at her table, in the safe space she made for herself, and ate her food. She served him ham, black-eyed peas, potatoes, and cornbread. The one good thing Earl ever did was make Ellie prepare his plates for him, it made this easier.

After dinner Ellie and Earl sat on Ellie’s couch and talked. Ellie half listened to Earl and half prayed he wouldn’t hurt her again. It didn’t take long for Earl to fall to the floor, unconscious, but it was longer than Ellie ever wanted to spend with him knowing who he really was.

When Roxie heard the thud of the fall, she came out of the bathroom to see Earl laying face down on the carpet. Ellie was frozen on the couch, just staring at him until Roxie rushes to her side and forced Ellie to look at her.

“Ellie, this was the right thing.”

“I know,” Ellie barely got out before breaking down into tears.

Roxie pulled Ellie in to a hug and rubbed her back. “He can’t hurt you anymore. And he never should’ve Ellie. I promise I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. I promise.” And Ellie believed her.

After Roxie helped Ellie calm down, they wrapped Earl in a tarp and took him down to the trunk. Living here meant that everyone looked the other way. That was what got Ellie here, but it’s also what was allowing her to get out of it and she was thankful. Once Earl was in the trunk, Ellie and Roxie packed a picnic, got in the car, and drove to the park. They laughed about everything from what Roxie wrote on Ellie’s cast - Lover, of course - to the fact that they were back together again. They laughed and talked like they didn’t have a body in the trunk. They ate their picnic like they didn’t have a body in the trunk. And when the park emptied and the sun started to set, the took the tarp to the lake, and they no longer had a body in the trunk.

Ellie and Roxie tossed the rat poison behind their favorite diner and donated some of Ellie’s old clothes, including the dress, to Goodwill. Then, they went home and slept. Neither of them lost sleep over what they had done, in fact, Ellie slept the best that she had in eleven months.

When Earl hadn’t shown up for work four days in a row, the police were notified. They searched his house and came to Ellie and talked to her, and Roxie, and searched her place. Upon finding nothing, the police left with a simple, “thank you ladies. If you hear from him, let us know.”

Days passed and then weeks and months and no one ever found Earl, but no one even bothered to ask. It seemed like no one missed him, Ellie and Roxie included.

Ellie tried, more than one, to try to get Roxie to go back to LA or to try to get another tour but Roxie wouldn’t have it. Sometimes it was just mentioned in passing, and sometimes it turned into full on arguments. But, the anger never lasted long because they loved each other and they wanted to be together. Roxie always told Ellie that she could find acting jobs in town or do a radio show and Ellie even offered to move to LA, even though the girls both knew she would hate it.

After months of fighting over what to do they bought some land with a small house on it and started a roadside stand on Highway 109 selling ham, strawberry jam, and pre-made black-eyed peas. They lived happily doing this and Ellie knew that this is where she was meant to be.

“I love you, Roxie.”

“I know. I love you too Smelly Ellie,” Roxie laughed and elbowed Ellie, half tempted to smother her face with the jam they were making. But Ellie got stiff and looked at Roxie.

“No. I mean I love you, Roxanne,” Ellie said more seriously than she said anything in her life, more serious than her wedding vows and more serious than killing her husband.

“Oh,” Roxie laughed. And that made Ellie confused, angry even.

“Why are you laughing? I just told you I love you. What about that is-“ before Ellie finished she was cut off by Roxie kissing her.

“I thought you already knew I love you too, you dummy,” Roxie smiled wide and held Ellie’s face. “I have since middle school, if that’s even possible.”

Ellie laughed and kissed Roxie again before resting their foreheads together. “You’re such an ass, did you know that?”

“I think you may have told me a few times.”

Ellie stood up and pulled away slightly, moving to wash her hands so she could hold Roxie like she’s always wanted to. She went to move her hair off of her shoulder and then realized, “oh I am so going to kill you for getting strawberry jam in my hair.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading folks! This is my second fic and I hope you enjoy!!! If you dig my brain, follow me on Twitter, my @ is the same as my username on here :)


End file.
